The Church can not die by glennchristopherson There is a lot of hand wringing going on in some religious circles, especially in the west, over the apparent near death of the Christian church. In the words of Mark Twain (paraphrased) “Reports of her death have been greatly exaggerated”. Sacred history shows that just when the church seems to be on her last legs God breathes on the dying embers and brings forth a divine fire within the remnant of the people of God. For sure the church in the west (as the church is often understood) is, if not dead, at least on life support. But what goes by the name “church” is generally speaking, weak, insipid and not dangerous enough to be hated and just ineffective enough to be mocked or ignored. Organizations have usurped the title “church” and are sadly often filled with (and led by) unsaved, earth centred, religiously bound and biblically illiterate pagans with a thin veneer of piety. But that’s not the end of the story; for the Living God invented, created, and will sustain His true church until the return of Christ… and beyond. A study of scripture shows that just when true faith in Yahweh is polluted, diluted and muted; He raises up the most unexpected voices to call upon heaven for grace and call upon men to repent. Their voices have the echo of eternity behind them and the sound of their consecrated cries bring joy to the saints, comfort to honest sinners and wrath to professional religionists. Indeed one of the few things to bring passion to the preaching of a professional clergy is when the amateur saints rise up and start to DO the work of the kingdom. When the voices of the saints are heard they are called by some prophets, by some seers, but by others they are called heretics and troublers of Israel (1 Kings 18:17). The cry of “away with them they are not fit to live” (Acts 22:22) will inevitably be heard when Gods blood bought, Spirit filled, twice born sons and daughters begin to speak. These ones have heeded the commandment to worship in Spirit and truth and have abandoned the man-made mountains of religion. (John 4:21-24) A quick overview of scripture repeatedly reveals this work of God. Beginning with Noah, a preacher of righteousness through Abraham, the judges, Samuel and so on. This testimony is continued through post biblical history with Reformers and Revivalists upholding the cause of Christ. Samuel is a good illustration of this divine principle. Miraculously born just as the church is, Samuel was placed in the midst of a corrupt and apathetic religious system. Eli, the professional priest, was blind, just as many religious leaders since, and the sacred fire of the temple was close to being extinguished. But Samuel heard the voice of the LORD and responded as he should, “Speak LORD your servant is listening.” None of his words fell to the ground as he preached and prophesied what he heard in the sacred place of the presence of God and his words simultaneously brought judgement to dead religion as they revived true faith in Yahweh and ushered in a golden age in the spiritual life of the people of God. (I Samuel Chapters 1-4) Around the villages and towns of Australia, beautiful stone buildings adorn the streets and paddocks and testify to a past age when the townsfolk responded to the church bells on a Sunday morning and gathered together in their respective houses of worship. Today these buildings draw tourists and sightseers but no worshippers. They stand an eloquent testimony to the fact the church has left the building. Denominations may haemmorage and organisations go bankrupt but the church of the Living God can not die. She is still mystifying people as she goes about her Father’s business. Confusing the pagan and annoying the religious. But still her words received in the secret place and declared in the market place, bring life from death and pronounce judgement on corrupt ecclesiastical power. The Church can not die. She is heaven birthed and heaven bound She has the shout of the King in her midst. She treads upon serpents and scorpions and nothing on earth can harm her. She is clothed in the glorious spiritual garments supplied by her Father. Multi hued garments that evoke a jealous anger in the spiritually naked but are testimony of the love of her heavenly Father. Men may attempt to bury her testimony in a pit but God raises her up, places her feet on the Rock and puts a new song in her mouth. The church can not die. She rests in the ark of God’s grace and floats high above the flood of His judgement. She can not die. The church lifts her voice to heaven and God stoops to hear, she directs her words to men and the repentant rise up in response. She is a the messenger of the Divine covenant, a declarer of Divine truth, a testimony to Divine grace and a warner of Divine judgement. The church can not die. She is surrounded by angels and protected from devils. She is the pillar and foundation of the truth. She is blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Buildings fall in to disrepair but the temple of God is still being built. Her hope is eternal, her influence immeasurable and her members immortal. Institutions of men will fail, demonic imitations are exposed and religious kings deposed but the church lives on. She is an enigma. She looks to men frail and poor but all the power and riches of heaven back her up. The church and the church alone has been entrusted with the message from the Ruler of the universe. Worldlings can not comprehend, for these things are spiritually discerned, even angels long to look in to the mystery that is the church. The true church is Spirit filled, Christ centred and gospel oriented. Regardless of what the media gleefully report and no matter what religious leaders may think and irrespective of statistics the church lives, for she is the dwelling place of the Living God and for that reason she can not die. Her feet may be on the earth but she sits in heavenly places. She is made up of representatives of every tribe, nation, language and tongue but her citizenship is in heaven. It’s not that she shouldn’t die or that it would be a shame if she died, it’s simply that The church can not die.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 00:52:25 +0000
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